March 16 – Today’s Food History

Posted on March 16, 2011

National Artichoke Day

Today’s Food History

on this day in…

1915 Absinthe is outlawed in France and several other countries. Absinthe was a licorice/anise flavored liqueur that contained wormwood, and was 132 proof. The high alcohol content, and the presence of the toxic oil thujone from the wormwood, seemed to cause hallucinations, convulsions, and severe mental problems amongst hard core absinthe drinkers. Henry-Louis Pernod, who manufactured Absinthe, came out with the lower alcohol, wormwood free liqueur ‘Pernod’, to replace Absinthe. Absinthe is now legal in the European Union.

1975 T-Bone Walker, blues guitarist, died.

1990 A Third Michelin star was awarded to Restaurant Louis XV in the Hotel de Paris. Chef Alain Ducasse, 33, is the youngest chef ever to have his restaurant receive 3 stars.